Bribery

Bribery, a form of corruption, is an act implying money or gift given that alters the behavior of the recipient. Bribery constitutes a crime and is defined by Black's Law Dictionary as the offering, giving, receiving, or soliciting of any item of value to influence the actions of an official or other person in charge of a public or legal duty. The bribe is the gift bestowed to influence the recipient's conduct. It may be any money, good, right in action, property, preferment, privilege, emolument, object of value, advantage, or merely a promise or undertaking to induce or influence the action, vote, or influence of a person in an official or public capacity.

'Tis pleasant purchasing our fellow-creatures;
And all are to be sold, if you consider
Their passions, and are dext'rous; some by features
Are brought up, others by a warlike leader;
Some by a place—as tend their years or natures;
The most by ready cash—but all have prices,
From crowns to kicks, according to their vices.

Tis gold
Which buys admittance; oft it doth; yea, and
Diana's rangers false themselves, yield up
Their deer to the stand o' the stealer: and 'tis gold
Which makes the true man kill'd and saves the thief;
Nay, sometimes hangs both thief and true man.

Sir Robert Walpole, speech (Nov. or Dec, 1734), according to A. F. Robbins, in Gentleman's Mag. No, IV, Pp. 589-92. 641-4. Horace Walpole asserts it was attributed to Walpole by his enemies. See Letter, Aug. 26, 1785. Article in Notes and Queries, May 11, 1907. Pp. 367-8, asserts he said: "I know the price of every man in this house except three." See article in London Times March 15, 1907, Review of W. H. Craig's Life of Chesterfield. Phrase in The Bee, Vol, VII, p. 97, attributed to Sir W---m W---m (William Wyndham).